Pin-spot for bowling-alleys.



F. C. HOBBS.

PIN SPOT FOR BOWLING ALLEYS.

APPLICATION I'ILED JUNE9, 1909.

1,020,646. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS C. HOBBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUNSWICK-BALKE- COLLENDER COMPANY OF NEW YORK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PIN-SPOT FOR BOWLING-ALLEYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filectJ'une 9, 1909.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912. Serial No. 501,069.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS C. I-lonns, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pin-Spots for Bowling-Alleys, fully described and repre sented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bowling alley pin spots.

In the better class of bowling alloys as now constructed, the spots on which the pins stand are made of a material which is different from that of the alley bed, said material usually being contrasting in color. Such spots have been usually heretofore made of wood, fiber, metal, etc, and are inserted in sockets formed for them in the alley bed. The wood and fiber spots have heretofore been held in position by gluing them in the sockets or by inserting a wood screw through the spot into the bottom of the socket. The metal spots have usually been held in position by one or more wood screws passing through the spots into the bottom of the sockets in the bed. Constructions have also been suggested in which the spots are threaded and engage cup-shaped holders suitably secured in the bottoms of the spot sockets.

The continual hammering of the spots by setting up the pins on them tends to loosen the spots, and this tendency is increased by the pounding of the heavy balls as they roll over the bed. Further, when metal spots are employed it is necessary to remove them whenever the alley bed is planed or dressed down, and this removal and replacing of the spots increases the difficulty of firmly secun ing them in position.

The present invention has for its object to produce an improved pin spot for bowling alleys which shall be firmly locked in position and which may, when desired, be readily removed and replaced.

With this and other objects not specifically referred to in view, the invention consists in certain constructions, and in certain parts, improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 isa plan view of a section of a bowling alley showing one of the improved spots. Fig. 2 is a section through the bed showing the spot in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing the spot partly inserted and not locked in position. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the spot completely inserted and locked in position.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a bowlingalley bed formed, as usual, of strips set up edgewise. The bed is provided with a number of sockets indicated at 2, these corresponding in number with the number of pins employed which in the regulation alley is ten. The spot will usually be circular in form corresponding generally in size to the size of the bottom of the pin, and may be formed of any suitable material, such as wood, fiber, 01' metal.

In constructions embodying the invention, the spot will be provided with a locking device which is carried by the spot and which is secured in position when the spot is inserted in its socket. The particular construction of locking device employed may be varied within wide limits. In the construction illustrated, the locking device consists of two members which are arranged to project beyond the body of the spot and engage the wall of the socket. While the particular construction of these two members, when two are employed, may be varied and the construction by which they are mounted and operated may be varied, as shown, the two members consist of dogs 3 located in slots 4 formed in the body of the spot, the dogs being pivoted in the slots by pins 5 which pass through perforations 6 formed in the material of the spot and passing through the slots. The dogs are formed, in the particular construction illustrated, with noses 7 made sufficiently sharp so that they may embed themselves in the wall of the socket, and the dogs are further provided with operating tails 8, so that, when pressure is brought to bear upon the tails, the noses of the dogs will be forced into the socket wall.

The means for operating the dogs when dogs of the character described are employed may be varied. As shown, the spot is provided with two perforations 9, these perforations receiving screws 10 which are tapped through them and hear at their lower ends on the tails of the dogs. Before inserting the spot, the screws are so positioned that the noses of the dogs lie within the body of the spot. The spot is then inserted into its socket and pushed down so that its surface is nearly or quite flush with the surface of the alley bed. The screws 10 are then turned down, thus forcing the dogs downward. This operation not only causes the noses of the dogs to bite into the wall of the socket, as described, but also draws the spot snugly and firmly down into position.

It will be seen that the hammering of the spots with the pins or the pounding of the balls over the alley beds has little or no ten dency to loosen a spot of the character described, and it will also be seen that such a spot may be readily removed from the alley bed when required.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which the invention is carried into effect. The invention is not, therefore, to be confined to the particular construction herein shown and described.

What is claimed is 1. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a locking device permanently secured to and carried thereby.

2. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a locking device secured to and carried thereby, sald device when in operative position projecting beyond the body of the spot.

3. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a plurality of locking members arranged to be contained within the body of the spot as the same is inserted into the alley bed, and means for causing said locking members to project beyond the wall of the spot when the spot is in position.

l. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a plurality of pivoted locking members lying within the body of the spot as the same is inserted into the alley bed, and means 'for turning the locking members on their pivots to cause them to project beyond the body of the spot so that they may enter the wall of the socket in which the spot is located.

5. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a plurality of pivoted locking dogs mounted therein said dogs having noses constructed to penetrate the wall of the socket in the alley bed when the spot is inserted, and means for acting on the tails of the dogs to force the dogs into locking p0sition.

6. A pin spot for bowling alleys, said spot having a plurality of pivoted locking dogs mounted therein, said dogs having noses con structed to penetrate the wall of the socket of the alley bed in which the spot is inserted, and screws for operating on the tails of the dogs to force the noses into locking position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS C. HOBBS. Witnesses:

A. WHITE, P. N. TILDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

